The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross has officially arrived in America. No, it's not the sporty coupe the Eclipse name used to be associated with – it's now one of many crossovers flooding the market. Whether it was wise to apply an iconic sports car name to a modern crossover is still debatable. Nevertheless, Mitsubishi has announced that its new compact crossover will start at $24,290 including a $995 destination fee, positioning it below competitors like the Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson. Sales will start in March.
Following the Outlander PHEV, which went on sale last December, the Eclipse Cross is the second all-new Mitsubishi to land in the US for the 2018 model year. Mitsubishi hopes its vibrant design will set the Eclipse Cross apart from the competition in the crowded segment. No matter which trim option you select, every Eclipse Cross is powered by a direct-injection turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four engine that produces 152 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through an CVT to the front wheels on the base trim and to an all-wheel-drive system on every other trim level. Of course, the starting price increases when you move up the range.
At the top of the range is the SEL model for $29,215, which comes with extras including a multi-view camera, leather seats, LED headlights, and driver assists like blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane change assist. A $2,500 Touring Package also adds a panoramic sunroof, nine-speaker stereo, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, and roof rails. Safety aids get upgraded with the addition of forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. "2018 represents an exciting next chapter for Mitsubishi Motors, and the all-new Eclipse Cross is a large part of that story," said Don Swearingen, CEO of Mitsubishi NA.
"The Eclipse Cross builds on the strong Mitsubishi heritage of automotive performance, technology and fun-to-drive dynamics revived in a CUV. We're excited to add the Eclipse Cross to our established CUV lineup and know it will continue to fuel the brands current sales momentum."
